Move to Improve (M2I) is a program based at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) that supports children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions to increase their participation in physical activity.
The program aims to work with children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions to identify and address barriers to physical activity and provide accessible, evidence-based, and sustainable opportunities to increase physical activity and improve health and wellbeing.
Move to Improve has been developed in collaboration by consumers, researchers, and health professionals, and is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team, who assist children and adolescents to develop and achieve their own personal physical activity goals. The team includes senior physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, and psychologists.
Currently, M2I is recruiting outpatients aged 5-17 living in the Perth metropolitan region with:
- Burn injuries: at least 6 weeks post-burn injury
- Cancer: Oncology Survivorship (at least 12 months from end of treatment) and ambulant
- Type 1 diabetes: diagnosed for at least 6 months
- Cerebral palsy: ambulant (GMFCS I-III).
Participants must also be under the care of a PCH medical team.
Location:
- Activity sessions will be delivered at PCH, in community settings, or via telehealth, depending on the participant's needs and goals.
Duration:
Participants will take part in an 8-week individualized physical activity program designed around their personal goals.
They will also be involved in a 14-month research project, with assessments conducted at four key points:
- Baseline (before the program begins).
- Post-program completion (8 weeks).
- 6 months post-program.
- 12 months post-program.
These assessments include physical evaluations and online questionnaires to measure the program’s effectiveness in fostering long-term health benefits.
Referrals
A child or adolescent’s primary medical team at Perth Children's Hospital can make referrals. The child or adolescent will remain under the care of their referring team while participating in M2I.
If you are interested in the program, please talk to your medical team to discuss the eligibility criteria.
For more information, contact the Move to Improve team:
- Phone: (08) 6456 1111 (Option 6)
- Email: movetoimprove@health.wa.gov.au